Best Spring Inshore Lures

David Conway

Docks, shorelines, points, seawalls and channel drop-offs all make key ambush points for inshore fish—and your fishing routes. As the waters warm in spring, and days stay lighter longer, you’ll want to keep in mind how your lures appear in changing light conditions—above and below the water’s surface. Travel light and know how each of your lures will work. Here are a few examples of light on lures.

Acme Kastmaster, silver. This is a fleeing baitfish catching and throwing light as it swims with every turn. It works in clear water to mimic bait and in turbid water to attract attention—especially valuable in the surf as it casts long distances.

MirrOlure 52M red/white. An easy, wounded target. The classic wounded bait with a blood-red head and a stark contrast with a white body. Nothing better for a wide range of light-water conditions.

Rapala X-Rap Slashbait, Silver Blue Mackerel. With bright sides and darkened dorsal, these suspending baits reflect light brightly in the water column when worked aggressively, as they are intended to be. Baits for blue and green water.

Heddon Zara Spook, Bone. Not only does this topwater lure have the white body/red eye contrast, but on the surface, backlit against a pale sky, the walk-thedog lure looks like a hurt bait trying to hide—irresistible to predators.

D.O.A. Nite Glow Shrimp. The bright glow stands out in murky waters and at dock lights, where its luminescence mimics the transparency of a live, natural shrimp.

Sebile Magic Swimmer Soft, Natural Shiner. A naturalistic, jointed swimbait with a versatile weight system for various presentations might as well be the real thing itself as far as the fish is concerned, until it takes it, that is.

Spro white bucktail jig. For bright water, the fail-safe lure to attract fish on the hunt. It takes on the color of the surrounding water to blend in, as a light-sided bait would and its jerky bottom-hopping action mimics skittish prey.

Bomber Long A, Chartreuse Shiner. For snook, tarpon and seatrout, this jerkbait, which you can crank and troll, is effective in clear, good-water feeding conditions as it swims down to positioned fish and blends with dominant water colors.

Johnson Original Minnow, in silver or gold. These spoons catch and reflect light as they wobble on the retrieve, attracting the eye of every nearby trout, red and snook in most water conditions. They cast good distance and so serve as good prospecting lures.

Yo-Zuri Crystal 3D Minnow Jointed Floating, Holographic Silver Blue. Prismatic finish throws light in all directions, good for turbid water. Ultraviolet colors designed to light up a spectrum available to fish eyes. FS